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Letter, 1839 Sept. 4, Peru, to D.

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Here I am as some would say, have nothing to do-inactive- and a lounger. But it is not so – man is an activeanimal either plodding, thinking, speculating castle building – oracting some part of the world’s drama. Man often adoptsthe notion of those who have preceded him – and consequentlyfalls into the errors – what may be called popular prejudices- those things are difficult to over come – and hence whenwe see some resolute spirit – peircing [piercing] farther from the“common herd” – sweeping before him all the noxiousweeds that have accumulated with the gathered yearsof time – disdaining the followers in the wake of humanfolly credulity, and fashion – he is dubbed aman before his age – and fitted for a riper andmature age. The adoption of this sentiment is anerror-for every age must have its pioneer – inliterature legislation or the sciences – to lay out thedesign preparatory for others to follow – and give to“chairo oscuro” [chiaroscuro] and coloring necessary to give theproper effect. But I have some wandered fromthe point I had in view. I wanted to establishthe fact that we frequently adopt erronious [erroneous] sentimentsand hand them down to others as precedents – nowI contend that there is no such being as an inactivebeing – I have seen lazy men – worthless vagabonds –and drones in society – “hangers on” – a sort of blood-suckers – who “go” on the agrarian principle – “high mindedmen” who feel deeply interested in the welfare andprosperity of others with whose fortunes from a socialfeeling probably they condescend to participate in.

Having established the fact that man is naturally activeand whose body or mind is ever in motion – “Indolent men” so to use the term are generally vicious – because the mind becomesstagnant and viciated [vitiated]– from a want of a healthyaction – therefore the mind being clouded by such animpurity of atmosphere takes a direction inimical to moral and intelligent principles

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Here I am as some would say, have nothing to do-inactive- and a lounger. But it is not so – man is an activeanimal either plodding, thinking, speculating castle building – oracting some part of the world’s drama. Man often adoptsthe notion of those who have preceded him – and consequentlyfalls into the errors – what may be called popular prejudices- those things are difficult to over come – and hence whenwe see some resolute spirit – peircing [piercing] farther from the“common herd” – sweeping before him all the noxiousweeds that have accumulated with the gathered yearsof time – disdaining the followers in the wake of humanfolly credulity, and fashion – he is dubbed aman before his age – and fitted for a riper andmature age. The adoption of this sentiment is anerror-for every age must have its pioneer – inliterature legislation or the sciences – to lay out thedesign preparatory for others to follow – and give to“chairo oscuro” [chiaroscuro] and coloring necessary to give theproper effect. But I have some wandered fromthe point I had in view. I wanted to establishthe fact that we frequently adopt erronious [erroneous] sentimentsand hand them down to others as precedents – nowI contend that there is no such being as an inactivebeing – I have seen lazy men – worthless vagabonds –and drones in society – “hangers on” – a sort of blood-suckers – who “go” on the agrarian principle – “high mindedmen” who feel deeply interested in the welfare andprosperity of others with whose fortunes from a socialfeeling probably they condescend to participate in.

Having established the fact that man is naturally activeand whose body or mind is ever in motion – “Indolent men” so to use the term are generally vicious – because the mind becomesstagnant and viciated [vitiated]– from a want of a healthyaction – therefore the mind being clouded by such animpurity of atmosphere takes a direction inimical to moral and intelligent principles